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Palm oil conversion to bio-jet and green diesel fuels over cobalt phosphide on porous carbons derived from palm male flowers
Author(s)
Kaewtrakulchai, Napat
Kaewmeesri, Rungnapa
Itthibenchapong, Vorranutch
Faungnawakij, Kajornsak
Date Issued
June 1, 2020
Type
Article
Abstract
Porous carbon was successfully synthesized from palm male flowers (PMFs), using microwave-assisted potassium hydroxide (KOH) activation and was used as a catalyst support for the conversion of palm oil into bio-hydrocarbons, in fractions of green diesel and bio-jet fuel. Palm male flower-derived porous carbon (PC), consolidated with well dispersed cobalt phosphide (CoP) nanoparticles, was synthesized by simple wet-impregnation with subsequent thermal treatment. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized CoP/PC catalysts were evaluated by various techniques including proximate and ultimate elemental analysis, FTIR, XRD, N2 sorption, SEM, TEM–EDS, and NH3-temperature programmed desorption (TPD). The effects of the pyrolysis temperatures (600−900◦ C), used for the impregnated samples before the reduction process, on catalyst properties and catalytic performance were investigated. Moreover, the effect of a liquid hourly space velocity of 0.5–1.5 h−1 and reaction temperatures of 340–420◦ C was studied in the palm oil conversion. The catalyst pyrolyzed at 600◦ C possessed the greatest particle dispersion and surface area, and showed the highest yield of liquid hydrocarbon product (C9–C18). We also found that the high pyrolysis temperature above 800◦ C partially transformed the Co2 P phase into CoP one which significantly exhibited higher cracking activity and bio-jet selectivity, due to the improved acidity of the catalyst.
Citation
Catalysts, 10(6), 1-18, 2020